Wayne Ellington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wayne Ellington

Ellington with the Miami Heat in 2018
Miami Heat
Player development coach
Personal information
Born	(1987-11-29) November 29, 1987 (age 37) Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, U.S.
High school	Daniel Boone (Birdsboro, Pennsylvania) Episcopal Academy (Merion, Pennsylvania)
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	207 lb (94 kg)
Career information
College	North Carolina (2006–2009)
NBA Draft	2009 / Round: 1 / Pick: 28th overall
Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
Pro career	2009–2022
Coaching career	2023–present
League	NBA
Career history
As player:
2009–2012	Minnesota Timberwolves
2012–2013	Memphis Grizzlies
2013	Cleveland Cavaliers
2013–2014	Dallas Mavericks
2014–2015	Los Angeles Lakers
2015–2016	Brooklyn Nets
2016–2019	Miami Heat
2019	Detroit Pistons
2019–2020	New York Knicks
2020–2021	Detroit Pistons
2021–2022	Los Angeles Lakers
As coach:
2023–present	Miami Heat (player development)
Career highlights and awards
NCAA champion (2009) NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (2009) Second-team All-ACC (2008) No. 22 honored by North Carolina Tar Heels First-team Parade All-American (2006) McDonald's All-American (2006)

Wayne Robert Ellington Jr. (born November 29, 1987) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He is currently a player development coach for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Wayne was known for his amazing shooting skills. People even called him "the Man With The Golden Arm"!

He played college basketball for the University of North Carolina from 2006 to 2009. After college, he decided to join the 2009 NBA draft. The Minnesota Timberwolves picked him as the 28th player overall.

High School Basketball Star

Wayne Ellington was a fantastic player in high school. He scored a total of 2,211 points during his high school career. He played at two schools: Daniel Boone High School and The Episcopal Academy.

In his final year at Episcopal Academy, Wayne averaged almost 22 points per game. He also grabbed over 8 rebounds and made more than 3 assists per game. He was great at shooting three-pointers, making 39% of them. He helped his team win the Inter-Academic League Conference title twice. Experts like Rivals.com thought he was one of the best shooting guards in the country.

College Career Highlights

Ellington with the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2009

Wayne Ellington joined the North Carolina Tar Heels in 2006. In his first year, he played in all 38 games. He averaged 11.7 points and was named to the ACC All-Tournament Team. He also played for the U.S. national team at the 2007 Pan American Games.

As a sophomore, Wayne's scoring improved. He scored a career-high 36 points in a game against Clemson in 2008. He even made a game-winning three-pointer with less than a second left! After this season, he thought about joining the NBA draft but decided to stay in college for another year.

In his junior year, Wayne helped lead the Tar Heels to the National Championship. They beat the Michigan State Spartans in the final game. Wayne was amazing in the Final Four, making 7 out of 10 three-pointers. He was named the NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player for his incredible performance.

Overall, during his college career, Wayne averaged 14.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. In April 2009, he announced he would enter the NBA draft.

Professional Basketball Journey

Early NBA Years (2009–2014)

Ellington as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Wayne Ellington in 2009. In his first season, he averaged 6.6 points per game. In July 2012, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. While with the Grizzlies, he scored a career-high 25 points against the Miami Heat in November 2012. He then set a new career high with 26 points in January 2013.

Later in 2013, Wayne was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. After that, he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in July 2013.

Time with the Lakers and Nets (2014–2016)

In 2014, Wayne was part of several trades. He ended up signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in September 2014. During his time with the Lakers, he had a tough period when his father passed away. He took some time off but returned to play. In January 2015, he scored a career-high 28 points in a game.

In July 2015, Wayne signed with the Brooklyn Nets. He continued to show his strong shooting skills. In December 2015, he scored 26 points and tied his career high with seven three-pointers in one game. He also received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2016. This award recognizes NBA players who show great community service.

Miami Heat and Other Teams (2016–2022)

Wayne joined the Miami Heat in July 2016. He quickly became a key player for them, especially with his three-point shooting. In December 2017, he tied his career high with 28 points and made eight three-pointers in a single game.

In March 2018, Wayne made his 200th three-pointer of the season. This made him only the third Heat player to reach that many in one season! In the last game of the 2018 regular season, he scored a career-high 32 points. He also set a new record for the most three-pointers made in a single season for the Miami Heat, with 227.

After his time with the Heat, Wayne played for the Detroit Pistons and the New York Knicks. He returned to the Pistons in 2020 and then to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021. He continued to be a valuable shooter for these teams until 2022.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, Wayne Ellington returned to the Miami Heat. In September 2023, he was hired as a player development coach. In this role, he helps current players improve their skills and reach their full potential.

Career Statistics

NBA Regular Season

NBA Playoffs

College Statistics

See also

In Spanish: Wayne Ellington para niños

• 2006 high school boys basketball All-Americans